2023’s Most Irish Cities in America


Image showing a group of friends wearing St. Patrick's day-themed attire to celebrate the holiday

Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, however which of the 200 largest U.S. cities actually know find out how to rejoice the Celtic spirit?

To mark Irish American Heritage Month, LawnStarter ranked 2023’s Most Irish Cities in America. 

We regarded past inexperienced bloodlines — we additionally checked out entry to Irish pubs, dance faculties, and social teams amongst 10 complete indicators of Irishness.

See how a lot luck your metropolis carries in our rating beneath. You’ll additionally discover highlights and lowlights from our information crunching, together with tips about the very best methods to study Irish tradition from Irish historians. 

Contents

Metropolis Rankings

Which cities are carrying the inexperienced?

General Rank (1=Most Irish) Metropolis State General Rating Group Rank Meals and Drink Rank Cultural Enrichment Rank Organizations Rank
1 New York NY 68.37 1 1 2 1
2 Chicago IL 56.4 9 3 1 4
3 Boston MA 42.36 2 2 4 4
4 Philadelphia PA 38.49 3 8 7 3
5 San Francisco CA 34.52 65 4 3 2
6 Pittsburgh PA 31.96 5 39 13 10
7 Denver CO 29.65 21 14 5 63
8 San Diego CA 29.3 50 10 9 6
9 Seattle WA 29.08 13 5 45 13
10 Omaha NE 28 6 67 12 149
11 Naperville IL 27.28 4 103 80 58
12 Buffalo NY 26.97 28 56 14 12
13 Los Angeles CA 25.8 87 15 6 7
14 Worcester MA 25.77 8 77 97 58
15 Spokane WA 25.69 10 49 68 70
16 Portland OR 25.01 14 17 23 159
17 Washington DC 24.87 79 12 8 54
18 Syracuse NY 24.45 25 56 51 55
19 Colorado Springs CO 24.42 27 38 33 63
20 Minneapolis MN 24.34 33 13 26 77
21 Phoenix AZ 24.33 35 30 37 57
22 Scottsdale AZ 24.13 18 58 34 82
23 Columbus OH 23.99 16 22 54 128
24 Fort Collins CO 23.12 15 89 117 63
25 Louisville KY 22.71 11 32 68 176
26 Overland Park KS 22.48 7 108 93 178
27 Eugene OR 22.05 12 116 83 159
28 Madison WI 22.05 17 103 60 133
29 Austin TX 22 42 47 30 77
30 St. Paul MN 21.95 44 60 27 77
31 St. Petersburg FL 21.57 30 39 72 82
32 Virginia Seashore VA 21.4 26 35 34 178
33 Lakewood CO 21.39 24 139 127 63
34 St. Louis MO 21.33 53 11 23 149
35 Huntington Seashore CA 21.2 40 71 99 15
36 Boise ID 21.17 19 76 52 178
37 Cape Coral FL 20.84 31 66 88 82
38 Cleveland OH 20.62 72 26 17 124
39 Charleston SC 20.53 46 31 50 128
40 Rochester NY 20.39 100 41 31 8
41 Des Moines IA 20.32 22 131 53 178
42 Raleigh NC 20.12 76 37 11 149
43 Roseville CA 20.11 55 93 99 15
44 Yonkers NY 20.1 67 27 124 10
45 Indianapolis IN 20.07 49 34 29 159
46 Peoria AZ 19.92 29 142 131 82
47 Lexington KY 19.7 32 63 55 178
48 Santa Rosa CA 19.64 56 77 124 15
49 Tacoma WA 19.62 51 52 88 70
50 Wichita KS 19.53 47 160 18 178
51 Joliet IL 19.44 52 127 110 58
52 Reno NV 19.35 39 64 67 149
53 Fort Lauderdale FL 19.29 78 29 36 77
54 Dayton OH 19.17 57 99 40 133
55 Jacksonville FL 18.91 64 85 57 82
56 Knoxville TN 18.82 54 36 32 178
57 Cincinnati OH 18.78 58 59 65 124
58 Tucson AZ 18.77 73 50 48 82
59 Shock AZ 18.77 37 83 159 82
60 Kansas Metropolis MO 18.76 34 71 144 147
61 Lincoln NE 18.65 23 108 158 159
62 Sioux Falls SD 18.64 38 97 78 159
63 Alexandria VA 18.43 36 42 86 178
64 Akron OH 18.39 45 127 81 133
65 Toledo OH 18.35 41 108 94 133
66 Charlotte NC 18.23 83 19 27 149
67 Las Vegas NV 18.2 85 6 57 149
68 Rockford IL 18.2 74 97 91 58
69 Olathe KS 18.19 20 177 152 178
70 Vancouver WA 18.11 61 61 132 70
71 Dallas TX 18.1 136 23 10 76
72 Nashville TN 17.96 69 44 21 178
73 Houston TX 17.75 130 21 15 69
74 Tulsa OK 17.63 66 51 61 149
75 Port St. Lucie FL 17.62 43 108 189 82
76 Oklahoma Metropolis OK 17.4 71 71 42 159
77 Tampa FL 17.37 92 9 73 82
78 Sacramento CA 17.13 120 53 47 15
79 Baltimore MD 16.99 123 24 16 124
80 Savannah GA 16.9 103 33 25 133
81 Huntsville AL 16.88 75 117 44 175
82 Henderson NV 16.86 48 131 132 149
83 Fort Wayne IN 16.83 62 62 83 159
84 Albuquerque NM 16.74 82 28 65 133
85 Mesa AZ 16.65 70 93 110 82
86 New Orleans LA 16.64 132 45 49 13
87 Anchorage AK 16.63 60 48 99 159
88 Chandler AZ 16.31 80 77 90 82
89 Milwaukee WI 16.31 126 25 22 81
90 Thornton CO 16.21 77 177 155 63
91 Springfield MA 16.13 95 85 124 55
92 Oceanside CA 16.11 101 81 145 15
93 Tempe AZ 16.03 86 106 91 82
94 Atlanta GA 16 122 16 38 124
95 Springfield MO 15.99 63 71 127 159
96 Orlando FL 15.95 134 7 39 82
97 San Antonio TX 15.87 127 42 20 82
98 Aurora IL 15.7 106 127 74 58
99 Grand Rapids MI 15.7 91 103 41 159
100 Richmond VA 15.53 105 46 19 176
101 Chesapeake VA 15.52 59 142 97 178
102 Fort Price TX 15.45 99 85 68 82
103 Modesto CA 15.44 108 117 117 15
104 Salem OR 15.4 68 93 141 149
105 Denton TX 15.15 90 160 99 82
106 Santa Clarita CA 15.1 114 108 123 15
107 Aurora CO 14.96 96 117 146 63
108 Norfolk VA 14.8 94 99 43 178
109 Lengthy Seashore CA 14.76 141 20 74 15
110 Elk Grove CA 14.68 116 177 139 15
111 Torrance CA 14.51 115 160 152 15
112 San Jose CA 14.35 144 65 56 15
113 Windfall RI 14.34 93 68 79 159
114 Tallahassee FL 14.12 97 108 132 82
115 Frisco TX 13.97 98 160 132 82
116 Salt Lake Metropolis UT 13.96 113 53 63 133
117 Chattanooga TN 13.77 88 93 94 178
118 Glendale AZ 13.72 102 142 146 82
119 Rancho Cucamonga CA 13.68 125 151 177 15
120 Oakland CA 13.56 140 81 108 15
121 McKinney TX 13.52 109 91 110 82
122 Murfreesboro TN 13.51 81 160 110 178
123 Clarksville TN 13.47 84 117 117 178
124 Waco TX 13.42 104 160 117 82
125 Orange CA 13.42 128 142 177 15
126 Plano TX 13.27 111 139 110 82
127 Warren MI 13.06 89 117 168 159
128 Lubbock TX 12.95 117 160 105 82
129 Bakersfield CA 12.92 153 151 63 15
130 Little Rock AR 12.56 129 77 74 133
131 Escondido CA 12.52 143 108 140 15
132 Kansas Metropolis KS 12.38 112 177 59 178
133 Fullerton CA 12.35 139 160 189 15
134 Amarillo TX 12.31 110 151 189 82
135 Bellevue WA 12.27 131 99 159 70
136 Fresno CA 12.25 146 151 132 15
137 Irvine CA 12.24 142 151 159 15
138 Riverside CA 12.01 147 142 146 15
139 Arlington TX 11.94 133 117 99 82
140 Fayetteville NC 11.81 119 142 87 159
141 Pasadena CA 11.8 148 142 152 15
142 Cellular AL 11.76 107 69 99 178
143 Corona CA 11.09 155 142 155 15
144 Greensboro NC 11.07 137 83 74 159
145 Sunnyvale CA 11.07 157 91 159 15
146 Durham NC 10.85 118 85 168 159
147 Carrollton TX 10.84 135 177 159 82
148 Baton Rouge LA 10.78 150 177 105 70
149 Winston-Salem NC 10.72 121 151 146 159
150 Glendale CA 10.72 164 177 177 9
151 Fremont CA 10.28 161 160 177 15
152 Newport Information VA 10.25 124 131 127 178
153 Lancaster CA 9.94 165 177 146 15
154 Shreveport LA 9.79 158 177 132 70
155 Anaheim CA 9.75 169 131 141 15
156 Garland TX 9.73 145 177 168 82
157 Jersey Metropolis NJ 9.71 151 69 117 128
158 Columbus GA 9.54 149 117 117 133
159 Hollywood FL 9.49 159 89 115 82
160 Corpus Christi TX 9.43 152 106 146 82
161 Hampton VA 9.35 138 142 105 178
162 Memphis TN 9.08 156 55 62 178
163 Stockton CA 9.07 174 151 159 15
164 Backyard Grove CA 9.04 173 151 168 15
165 Hayward CA 9.02 175 177 159 15
166 Chula Vista CA 8.42 177 160 189 15
167 San Bernardino CA 8.14 182 177 177 15
168 Ontario CA 8.09 183 177 168 15
169 Macon GA 8.05 154 160 189 133
170 Augusta GA 8 167 151 82 133
170 Mesquite TX 8 163 177 177 82
172 Killeen TX 7.95 162 177 189 82
173 Honolulu HI 7.93 172 18 115 133
174 El Paso TX 7.7 179 139 83 82
175 Palmdale CA 7.68 184 177 189 15
176 Pembroke Pines FL 7.66 166 117 168 82
177 North Las Vegas NV 7.54 160 135 168 149
178 Fontana CA 7.51 185 177 189 15
179 Oxnard CA 7.25 188 125 159 15
180 Santa Ana CA 7.04 193 160 127 15
181 Pasadena TX 6.85 171 177 189 82
182 Detroit MI 6.84 191 71 46 147
183 Moreno Valley CA 6.75 189 160 189 15
184 Irving TX 6.72 176 160 155 82
184 Salinas CA 6.72 190 177 177 15
186 Grand Prairie TX 6.69 180 160 141 82
187 Pomona CA 6.59 192 177 159 15
188 Bridgeport CT 6.52 178 127 109 133
189 West Valley Metropolis UT 6.2 170 160 189 133
190 Miami FL 5.87 194 125 71 82
191 Montgomery AL 5.66 168 177 132 178
192 Birmingham AL 5.35 181 108 94 178
193 McAllen TX 5.1 187 135 168 82
194 Miramar FL 3.88 195 177 177 82
195 Jackson MS 3.04 186 135 177 178
196 Paterson NJ 2.8 196 177 168 128
197 Newark NJ 2.78 197 102 177 128
198 Brownsville TX 2.73 199 135 177 82
199 Laredo TX 2.57 198 160 189 82
200 Hialeah FL 2.18 200 177 177 82

Infographic showing the Most Irish Cities in America, a ranking based on Irish population and access to Irish pubs, dance schools, social groups, and more
Word: For presentation functions, not all ties could also be displayed for some metrics above.

Highlights and Lowlights

It’s Paddy Time in New York

The Large (Inexperienced) Apple is our Most Irish Metropolis this 12 months, leaving our earlier gold medalist, Boston, envious. 

How did New York riverdance its technique to the highest spot? Town dominated three out of 4 classes and completed simply behind Chicago in Cultural Enrichment — regardless of Irish Individuals making up a tiny fraction, 4.4%, of town’s complete inhabitants. 

By sheer quantity, although, New York is residence to essentially the most Irish Individuals, over 386,000 as of 2021, practically double the group’s dimension in Chicago. 

Usually, the bigger a cultural group, the upper the demand for culturally particular facilities of their space, resembling Irish pubs, Irish social teams, and Irish dance faculties, all of that are most plentiful in New York Metropolis.

An Unlikely Paddy Vacation spot

Whereas the largest U.S. cities historically placed on the most important and hottest St. Patrick’s Day parades, there’s one different metropolis within the Heartland that may indulge the celebration animal in you.

No, it’s not Chicago, Minneapolis, or St. Louis.

At No. 50 general, Wichita, Kansas, is a pot of gold in the case of St. Pat’s celebrations, rating No. 9 on this specific metric — even above extra Irish cities like Philadelphia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon.

This would possibly come as a shock, however Kansas’ connection to Eire stretches again centuries. In keeping with the Kansas Historic Society, most immigrants to Kansas arrived from Eire in 1870. And the Kansas Jayhawk? The boys’s basketball workforce mascot traces its roots to Irish folklore.

Low in Inexperienced Blood, Excessive in Inexperienced Spirit

The cities with the smallest Irish American populations — each in quantity and proportion — unsurprisingly landed on the backside of our rating. They embrace cities like Hialeah, Florida, in final place and Laredo, Texas, simply forward of it. 

Paterson, New Jersey (No. 196), counts amongst them, too. The Irish have been as soon as the dominant tradition right here — its Dublin neighborhood nonetheless exists — however waves of latest immigrants have remodeled the face of town.

Nevertheless, the shortage of Irish residents in these cities at the moment doesn’t imply they aren’t welcome. You’ll discover Irish pubs, for instance, in Newark, New Jersey (No. 197), Jackson, Mississippi (No. 195), and Birmingham, Alabama (No. 192). 

In Miramar, Florida (No. 194), and McAllen, Texas (No. 193), you’ve an excuse to don your greenest outfit — every metropolis hosts St. Paddy’s celebrations.

Ask The Specialists

All of us might suppose a bit of extra “inexperienced” by understanding one of many largest ethnic teams in America and its traditions.

To assist our readers with their “Irishification,” LawnStarter reached out to researchers who examine Irish tradition. See what they needed to say beneath.

  1. What are the three greatest methods to study Irish tradition?
  2. What’s one of the simplest ways to rejoice St. Patrick’s Day this 12 months?
  3. What Irish cultural practices have had the largest affect on trendy U.S. tradition?

Behind the Rating

For every of the 200 largest U.S. cities, we gathered publicly accessible information on the components listed within the desk beneath. 

We then grouped these components into 4 classes: Group, Meals and Drink, Cultural Enrichment, and Organizations.

Subsequent, we calculated weighted scores for every metropolis in every class. 

Lastly, we averaged the scores for every metropolis throughout all classes. 

Town that earned the very best common rating was ranked “Most Irish” (No. 1), whereas town with the bottom was ranked “Least Irish” (No. 200).

Notes: 

  • The “Least Irish” amongst particular person components will not be No. 200 attributable to ties amongst cities.
  • “Native” and “State Irish organizations” embrace, amongst others, Irish cultural and heritage facilities and golf equipment; museums; dance faculties; libraries; immigration, authorized, and welfare help facilities; and networking associations.

Sources: Coalition of Irish Immigration Facilities, World Irish, Google Occasions, The Eire Funds, Irish-American Heritage Museum, Irish Community USA, Mark Holan’s Irish-American Weblog, Meetup, Transceltic, TripAdvisor, and U.S. Census Bureau

Native Ideas

Discovering corned beef and inexperienced beer all year long might be like trying to find a four-leaf clover. Not now. 

For many who declare Irish ancestry — and everybody else — a inexperienced March Insanity is already in full swing. Try the slideshow beneath that will help you plan your St. Patrick’s Day itinerary in our prime 5 Most Irish Cities in America.

A large group of bagpipers formed by U.S. Army soldiers leads the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade up 5th Avenue.
New York: Be among the many 2 million spectators on the nation’s largest and oldest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a six-hour-long line of Irish dancers, bagpipers, and jugglers marching down Fifth Avenue.

Crowd-averse? Purchase an all-day cross for $30 to “40 Shades of Inexperienced,” a barely extra intimate, six-hour occasion that includes 50 music and dance acts on the New York Irish Heart. Don’t overlook to cease by St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a bucket-list landmark for any architecture-obsessed vacationer however particularly Irish Catholics.

Photograph Credit score: New York Nationwide Guard / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

A female Irish dance trio performs at Celtic Fest in Chicago.
Chicago: Few cities dye their rivers inexperienced for St. Paddy’s Day. Witness the dyeing course of on the Riverwalk on March 11 at 10 a.m., however get there early to safe the greatest viewing spot. 

The McNulty College of Irish Dance traces its humble beginnings to the Windy Metropolis, extra particularly its suburb Naperville, which has the very best share of Irish residents. In the event you missed their March 5 efficiency, you may e-book the dancers in your personal non-public occasion or enroll your children within the McNulty program to maintain your Irish heritage alive.

Photograph Credit score: goatling (cropped) / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

A statue of an Irish family of three, forming part of the Irish Famine Memorial along the Irish Heritage Trail, stands in the foreground surrounded by community members.
Boston: Cease by one — or all — of the highest Irish eating places and pubs in (Inexperienced) Bean City. Watch a rugby sport on the Banshee, catch fiddlers at Mr. Dooley’s Tavern (when you’re fortunate), or snap a selfie for the ’Gram at L Road Tavern, the place scenes of “Good Will Looking” have been filmed.

Once you’re not downing a pint of Guinness, discover dozens of town’s Irish-themed websites and landmarks by means of a three-mile, self-guided tour on the Irish Heritage Path.

Photograph Credit score: Robert Linsdell / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Members of the Rosenbach Museum & Library and Spiral Q Puppet Theatre parade on a Boston Street, featuring Bram Stoker's famous vampire novel, “Dracula.”
Philadelphia: Get a style of the Previous Nation at favourite native haunts like McGillin’s (open since Abraham Lincoln was elected), Moriarty’s (hailed for its intensive menu of conventional Irish fare), and Fergie’s (TV-free so you may focus in your pint and posse).

Lit fan? Expertise historical past at your fingertips — actually — by visiting The Rosenbach Museum & Library, the place you may contact over 100 pages of Irish creator Bram Stoker’s notes and descriptions on his well-known vampire novel, “Dracula.”

Photograph Credit score: Pablo Virgo / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

A close-up, focused shot of the Irish Coffee at The Buena Vista in San Francisco, recreated from the original version invented at the Shannon Airport in Ireland
San Francisco: On the common Irish Occasions, take pleasure in classics like a standard Irish breakfast, or indulge your palate with menu selections that marry Irish and different cultures. Strive their “Irish” nachos or poutine.

Nostalgic expats should embrace The Buena Vista of their itinerary. Right here, you may seize an Irish Espresso, recreated from the unique model invented on the Shannon Airport in Eire. When you’ve stuffed up on caffeine and rashers, head over to the United Irish Cultural Heart of San Francisco for a deep dive into Irish historical past and tradition — or to attain some Irish goodies.

Photograph Credit score: isuperwang / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

You don’t want the luck of the Irish to maintain your grass brilliantly inexperienced, so cease on the lookout for that four-leaf clover and rent a neighborhood LawnStarter professional as an alternative.

Foremost Photograph Credit score: Shutterstock

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